Press for butter or other plastic materials



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2. B. R. RAPP. PRES$ FOR BUTTER OR OTHER PLASTIC MATERIALS FFHI N. PFI'ERs, Phawulhn m nen washingiom D C.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

B. R. RAPP.

PRESS FOR BUTTER OR OTHER PLASTIC MATERIALS.

No. 392,882. Patented Nbv. 18, 1888.

BARNET B. RAPP, OF WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

.PRESS FOR BUTTER OR OTHER PLASTIC MATERIALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,882, dated November 13, 1888.

Application filed December 17, 1887. Serial No. 258,200.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BARNET R. RAPP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Test Chester, Chester county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvementsin Presses for Butter or other Plastic Materials, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to so construct a press for butter or other plastic material that the press may be opened or closed by the movement of a single operating-lever, a further object being to provide for the close fitting of the blocks forming the lining of the press, and astill further object being to insure the rigid locking of the parts of the press together during the pressing operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is longitudinal section of my improved butterpress on the line 1 2, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan on the line 3 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the press, looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1; and Figs. 4, -5, and 6, views illustrating modifications.

A is the base of the press, to a recess in which is adapted a base-block, B, the latter being supported upon set-screws a, so that it can be readily adjusted vertically, in order to bear firmly against the lower edges of the blocks D, which line the sides and ends of the mold. These blocks are carried by the opposite side plates, F, of the mold, which have projecting lugsb pivoted to a rod, (1, the mold in the present instance being of rectangular form and each plate F being bent so as to form two portions at right angles to each other, one portion carrying one of the side blocks of the mold and the other portion one of the end blocks of the same, the mold being divided at opposite corners, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

To provide for the adjustment of the liningblocks of the mold and the snug fitting of the same at the corners, two of said blocks are provided with screws f, bearing against the plates F,and are acted upon by bindingscrews g, passing through the plates and adapted to nuts 9, carried by the blocks. The other two blocks are provided with similar nuts for receiving binding-screws; but instead of the fixed bearing-sorewsf said blocks are provided with adjusting-screws f, so as to regu- (No model) late the size of the opening in which the butter or other material is to be pressed and compensate for shrinkage, thus insuring the firm bearing of the blocks against each other at the joints.

To a standard, G, at one end of the base A is hung a lever, H, the long arm of which has a guide, h, for the stem h of the plunger J of the press, said stem being connected near its upper end to an operating-lever, K, which is hung by a link, 2', to the short arm of the lever H. Hung to the lever H is a pair of arms, M, which project downward, one on each side of the joint between the opposite plates, FF, of the mold, and are adapted to eyes 70 on said plates, as shown in Fig. 3, the arms being bent outward from the upper to the lower ends, so that as they are raised they have a tendency to separate the eyes It, and thus spread apart the plates F, the reverse operation being caused on the descent of the arms.

The outer end of the long arm of the lever H is provided with a socket, H, which. when the lever is depressed embraces flanges m on the outer meeting edges of the plates F F, as shown in Fig. 2, this socket being beveled, as shown, so that as it is pressed over the flanges it will have a tendency to force the same firmly against each other, the amount of pressure being determined by the adjustment of a set-screw, it, carried by one side of the socket. (See Fig. 2.)

When the operating-lever of the press is elevated, the plunger J strikes the under side of the long arm of the lever H and lifts the same, so that the flanges at the outer meeting edges of the plates F are freed from the retaining influence of the socket H, and as'the upward movement of the lever H continues the curved arms M, acting on the eyes k of the plates F, effect the lateral separation of the latter, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, so that the molded block may be readily removed from the molding-chamber of the press and a fresh supply of material introduced into the same. On again depressing the operating-lever the latter acts through the medium of a spring, p, interposed between the same and the guide h on the lever H, so that the latter moves with the operating-lever.

The first effeet of this movement is the closing of the op-.

posite sides of the press by the action of the curved arms M. As the movement continues the socket H is brought down over the flanges at the outer ends of the plates F, so as to lock the same firmly together. The plunger then enters the molding-chamber of the press and is free to be forced down into the same, so as to press the material contained therein, the spring p permitting this movement of the operating-lever and plunger after the lever H has locked the parts and can have no further downward movement.

Accidental loosening of the lever H during the pressing operation is effectually prevented, first, by the pressure of the spring 19 thereon, and, second, by reason of the lift imparted to the short arm of the lever by the operating-levcr K through the medium of thelink The latter construction is, however, not absolutely necessary to myinvention, as the link might, if desired, be hung to abracket on the standard G, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1., an arm being used in place of the lever II, as also shown by dotted lines in said figure.

The arms M M are connected by a transverse bolt, 15, provided with a nut, i, so that the degree of pressure exerted by said arms on the eyes of the side plates, F, of the press may be regulated in order to insure the bringing of the flanges at the outer ends of said plates closely together when the arms M are depressed.

It will be seen from the above description.

dependent of those employed for the pressing operation.

Although I prefer to construct the machine as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, various modifications in the construction of parts of the machine can be made within the scope of my invention, and in Figs. 4 and 5 some of these modifications are illustrated.

In the modified press, Fig. 4, the plungerstem h is connected to a cross-head or handle instead of to a lever, and the lever H is replaced by a bar, II, having the socket H and carrying the arms M, the latter being so shaped that they will fully close the mold before the bar has been depressed to such an extent as to bring the socket H over the flanges m. In this press, also, a spring, M, is shown for effccting the opening of the halves of the mold, the arms M. being intended for restricting and regulating the opening of the halves of the mold under the influence of the spring M and for closing them and holding them closed.

The socket II may be dispensed with in some cases, reliance being placed upon the pressure of the arms M to prevent separation of the halves of the mold. In this case the lever H may terminate at the guide it, as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 4:.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a further modification, in which the arms M, plunger J,and socket H are hung to the lever K independently of each other. In this case the arms M should be so formed as to pass through the eyes is without imparting further pressure to the sides of the mold after the latter are closed, the socket then engaging with the flanges m of the side plates, and the plunger J being finally pressed into the mold, the spring 10, between thelever and socket, yielding during this latter movement; or this spring may be dispensed with and the socket connected directly to the lever K, as shown in Fig. 6, if the flanges m of the mold are parallel-sided and the socket is free to slide on the same. \Vhcn the lever K is raised, the cam-arms M, by their action upon the eyes k, effect the separation of the halves of the mold.

For convenience, I have in the claims alluded to the parts K and H, respectively, as an operating-lever and a supplementary lever, although it should be understood that these terms include bars, arms, or other equivalents of the levers, as above set forth.

I therefore claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. The combination of the separable halves of the mold, the plunger, cam-arms governing the opening and closing of the halves of the mold, a socket for locking said halves of the mold, and an operating-lever acting on said plunger, cam-arms, and socket, all substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the separable halves of the mold, a plunger, an operating-lever carrying the same, a supplementary lever having canrarms governing the opening and closing of the halves of the mold, a socket for locking said halves of the mold, and a spring inter,- posed between the two levers, all substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the separable halves of the mold, a plunger, a supplementary lever having cam-arms governing the opening and closing of the halves of the mold, and asocket for locking the halves of the mold, and an operating-lever carrying the plunger and hung to the short arm of the supplementary lever, all substantially as specified.

4. The combination of the separable halves of the mold, a plunger, cam-arms governing the opening and closing of the halves of the mold, an adjustable connection between said arms, and an operating-leveracting on the arms and .plunger, all substantially as specified.

5. The combination of the separable halves of the mold, a plunger, cam-arms governing the opening and closing of the halves of the mold, a socket locking the halves of the mold and having an adjustable bearing-screw, and an operating-lever acting on the plunger, cam arms, and socket, all substantially as specified.

6. The combination of the side plates of the mold and the lining-blocks therefor, with setscrews adapted to threaded openings in the to this specification in the presence of two sub- IO In testimony whereof I have signed my name side blocks and bearing at their inner ends scribing witnesses.

upon the lining-blocks, and locking-screws adapted to nuts 011 thelining-bloeks and passing freely through openings in the side plates, but having enlarged heads bearing upon said side plates, all substantially as specified.

BARNET R. RAPP.

\Vitnesses:

DAVID J ONES, O. O. FAHNESTOOK. 

